I think I'm going to get sacked because I'm pregnant!

I'll give you a little bit of a background first...

Eleven weeks ago I started a casual office job at my Dad's work. The boss said that he only wanted me for 5 hours a day, 5 days a week. This worked out really well for me, because I work at night and on weekends as a mortgage broker and had a lot of spare time during the day. We've just built a new home, so the extra money would come in handy too.

I found out a week and a half ago that I'm pregnant! We've been trying for five months and couldn't be happier! It's what we've been working towards for the past 11 years.

As far as this job goes, it's now stretched out to 7 hours a day and my boss emailed me this week, offering me a full time contract. He's told me and others how happy he is with me and my work.

The day I got the email, he asked me into his office to discuss the offer he'd made me. I'm a really honest person and thought that I should be upfront and tell my boss that I'm pregnant. I didn't want to hide it from him, sign the contract and then have him think that I was sneaky and dishonest. I told him and then burst into tears. I said I know it's really bad timing, with the new work that the company has just taken on, but I'd love to come back after 12 months. He congratulated me and told me not to be sad, because I still have my mortgage broking in the background. What did he mean by that?!?

I wanted to do the right thing by him and I thought he in turn would do the right thing by me...

He hasn't said he's going to get someone else now, but he hasn't said that I can accept the contract either. I don't know what to do. I'm just so angry and upset. I spoke to my Mum and told her that, if he sacks me, I'm not going to wait till he finds a replacement, I'm just going to leave there and then. She said that I couldn't, because it would make it hard for my Dad, as he will still be working there till he retires next July. So, if he does replace me, my parents want me to hang around to train up the replacement and then go without fuss.

I don't know what to do next. I would really appreciate some help with this. Thank you.

Celsie. xoxox

Celsie, you have proof he offered you the job - if he withdraws it because you're pregnant that's discrimination and you can sue his pants off. Do it. Your dad only has a few months more there, if they sack him because of you then he can sue too and make more from that than he would in the few months.

Sign and accept the contract if that is what you want; once it's been agreed then it's even harder to take back. Good luck with it!

Did you want to take the contract? If so, I would accept and talk to him about your ideas for how you want to handle you maternity leave and see how he reacts. I'm an optimist but maybe he thought you were upset because you love the job so much and don't want to take time off due to money or something and he was assuming you could still work from home with the mortage broking after bubs is born. Goo dluck

I only got offered the job via email. There is no paper contract as such. I'm just waiting on him now. I don't know what he's going to do next...

I don't want to make things hard for my Dad. He loves his job and the people he works with and he's so close to retiring...

Celsie. xoxox

Oh Sarah!! I think you should try the direct approach and just ask your boss quietly if he has changed his mind about offering you the full time position as a result of your new circumstances. Even he would know that as he's offered it to you in writing (that email is binding, print it out if you haven't already), he can't say now that you're suddenly not suitable for the position because you're pregnant. Let him know that you were so thrilled that he thinks you are up to the job and that's why you were so emotional when he spoke to you. I'd also say that you're happy to talk to him further about maternity leave options, even though it's only early days with your pregnancy.
I hope that helps, and it's a good idea to get some advice not only from here but from a solicitor (I assume you have one :) ) Good luck, gorgeous!!

Celsie,

You did not have to tell him that you are pregnant, so surely by doing that he can see your honesty...
I'd simply e-mail back & said I'd love to take on this role, Thanks!

I'd be honest & ask him what the plan is from here..... Yes you are preg, but heck you can still do your job & also point out that you plan (if you do) to return to the work force after X amount of time off... (it would probably be unpaid as you'd ahve not been there 12 mths?)

I don't think he will sack you. He is obviously very happy with you, I would take the job as long as possible.

I think what he was trying to say is (and I don't know if I am right, just a thought) - that even if you take on the full time role, you won't be entitled to Maternity Leave. Where is, your a mortgage broker which you can go back to.

Does that make sense??

Have you still got the email? Don't just print it out, save a copy of it as well.
I would ask him straight out whether the job offer is still on the table.

Is it possible that he misinterperted you and somehow thought you were turing it down because you are pregnant?

Yeah - It doesn't sound like you are going to get sacked.
Maybe you could ask for a 6m full time contract? Is that a possiblity?

I would word up an email - something along the lines of:
Just following up on this offer. I am very interested, but obviously given my news, it may not be reasonable of me to accept a permanent contract with the company.
I am very interested in full time work though as I really enjoy the work here, and I'm wondering if perhaps I can suggest a fixed term, full time contract. My suggestion would be 6m.

If you try something like this, at least you are going back with something, and he knows that you are serious about the job.

Good luck - I hope it works out!

I thought you had to be working for someone for 12 months before you could get maternity leave? Or is that just paid maternity leave?

Anyway, I agree that you should print out the email and also save a copy and then approach your boss and tell him you would like to take the job and hope that your being pregnant won't affect that. It is possible that he did think from your last conversation that you didn't intend to take up the offer because you are pregnant and that is why it hasn't been mentioned again.

Nah it is 12months Bon. Thats for Unpaid and Paid

Celsie
it is illegal in Australia to sack someone because they are pregnant. You need to look at the HREOC website to find out about Pregnancy discrimination.

Thanks for your replies girls. He hasn't mentioned it again and he said he wanted it all finalised by the end of the month, which was today. I'm having my first U/S on Thursday afternoon, so if everything is okay, I'll approach him and see where I stand.

I did say to him, that you really probably don't need someone going on leave for 12 months or so (hoping he's say NO, don't be silly, it's fine...) But, he said, well yeah...

So, you can understand why I think I'm getting the boot.

Anyway, will let you know what happens on Friday!

Thanks for the support girls. :)

Celsie. xoxox

Well, I've had enough!!! I've heard nothing more about it, but as the weeks have gone on, I've decided that there is no way in hell that I'll ever come back to work here!!! They're such chauvinistic pigs!!! My DH sent me flowers for our wedding anniversary yesterday and the pig that I'm having the biggest problems with, turned around and called him "soft". This isn't the first time he's called my DH such names. I think I'll be glad to see the back of this place!!!

Celsie. xoxox

Oh babe chin up! Im being made redundant in less than a month :hug:

Happy Anniversay for yesterday and your DH is wonderful!!

your DH is such a wonderful Catch Celsie to send you flowers to brighten ur day. Don't worry what anyone else thinks! They're just Jelous! Chin up hon! U have a special Hubby and a special baby growing inside you. What more can we ask for huh??! *hugs*

Hi Chelsie,

Under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 its is illegal to discriminate against someone because they are pregnant. What your boss has done is exactly that.

Make sure you print and keep a copy of the email your boss had sent to you offering you the full time position and diarise what has happened and the comments that have been made.
I understand your concerns with your Dad working there but I would be contacting your Union or lodging a complaint with HREOC - the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission - their website is www.hreoc.gov.au .

Best of luck.

Celsie, I'm jealous of you with your husband! Wish mine sent me flowers.

I'm also sick of my work. I'm going to be interviewed for my job in January (yup, at more than 8 months pregnant and whilst on Maty leave) - I'm not going to get it back. Who would give someone who was 8 months pregnant a job? I don't want it back either any more (but they still have to pay me maternity leave!). They want to give me twice as much work, taking away two hours of my normal work a month, which is 2 hours I find interesting and enjoyable, and tell me they're making me "more efficient". Yeah right.